Systems and methods for processing whole blood into red blood cell, plasma, and platelet products

Abstract

A processing device includes a pump system, a valve system, a centrifuge, and a controller. A fluid flow circuit is mounted to the device to execute a procedure in which whole blood is processed into a red blood cell product, a plasma product, and a platelet concentrate product. The blood is first separated into red blood cells, buffy coat, and plasma using the centrifuge, with the red blood cells and plasma being removed from the centrifuge, while the buffy coat remains in the centrifuge. The fluid remaining in the centrifuge is circulated through the centrifuge to form a homogenous mixture. Once the mixture is formed, it is separated in the centrifuge into platelet concentrate and red blood cells. A platelet product is then collected by using whole blood or previously collected red blood cells to push the platelet concentrate from the centrifuge to a collection container.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A blood processing system, comprising:
 a reusable processing device including
 a pump system, 
 a valve system, 
 a centrifuge, and 
 a controller; and 
   a disposable fluid flow circuit including
 a processing chamber received by the centrifuge, 
 a red blood cell collection container, 
 a platelet concentrate collection container, and 
 a plurality of conduits fluidly connecting the components of the fluid flow circuit, wherein the controller is configured to 
 command the pump system and the valve system to cooperate to convey whole blood from a blood source to the processing chamber; 
 execute an establish separation stage in which the centrifuge operates to separate the whole blood in the processing chamber into plasma and red blood cells and the pump system and the valve system cooperate to convey separated plasma and red blood cells out of the processing chamber, recombine the separated plasma and red blood cells as recombined whole blood, and convey the recombined whole blood into the processing chamber; 
 execute a collection stage in which the pump system conveys the whole blood from the blood source to the processing chamber; the centrifuge separates the whole blood in the processing chamber into plasma, a buffy coat, and red blood cells; and the pump system and the valve system cooperate to convey at least a portion of the separated plasma out of the processing chamber and to convey at least a portion of the separated red blood cells out of the processing chamber and into the red blood cell collection container, with a fluid including the buffy coat remaining in the processing chamber; 
 execute a platelet resuspension stage comprising a first phase in which the centrifuge is deactivated and the pump system and the valve system cooperate to circulate the fluid in the processing chamber through the fluid flow circuit to form a homogenous mixture, and a second phase in which the centrifuge operates to separate the homogenous mixture into a platelet concentrate and red blood cells; and 
 execute a platelet harvest stage in which the pump system and the valve system cooperate to convey whole blood from the blood source or at least a portion of the contents of the red blood cell collection container into the processing chamber to convey at least a portion of the platelet concentrate out of the processing chamber and into the platelet concentrate collection container. 
   
     
     
         2 . A method for processing whole blood into a red blood cell product, a plasma product, and a platelet product, comprising:
 conveying whole blood from a blood source to a processing chamber of a fluid flow circuit;   executing an establish separation stage in which a centrifuge is operated to separate the whole blood in the processing chamber into plasma and red blood cells, separated plasma and red blood cells are conveyed out of the processing chamber and recombined as recombined whole blood, and the recombined whole blood is conveyed into the processing chamber;   executing a collection stage in which whole blood is conveyed from the blood source to the processing chamber; the centrifuge is operated to separate the whole blood in the processing chamber into plasma, a buffy coat, and red blood cells; at least a portion of the separated plasma is conveyed out of the processing chamber; and at least a portion of the separated red blood cells is conveyed out of the processing chamber and into a red blood cell collection container of the fluid flow circuit, with a fluid including the buffy coat remaining in the processing chamber;   executing a platelet resuspension stage comprising a first phase in which the centrifuge is deactivated and the fluid in the processing chamber is recirculated through the fluid flow circuit to form a homogenous mixture, and a second phase in which the centrifuge is operated to separate the homogenous mixture into a platelet concentrate and red blood cells; and   executing a platelet harvest stage in which whole blood from the blood source or at least a portion of the contents of the red blood cell collection container is conveyed into the processing chamber to convey at least a portion of the platelet concentrate out of the processing chamber and into a platelet concentrate collection container of the fluid flow circuit.   
     
     
         3 . A blood processing device, comprising:
 a pump system;   a valve system;   a centrifuge; and   a controller configured to
 command the pump system and the valve system to cooperate to convey whole blood from a blood source into the centrifuge, 
 execute an establish separation stage in which the centrifuge operates to separate the whole blood in the centrifuge into plasma and red blood cells and the pump system and the valve system cooperate to convey separated plasma and red blood cells out of the centrifuge, recombine the separated plasma and red blood cells as recombined whole blood, and convey the recombined whole blood into the centrifuge; 
 execute a collection stage in which the pump system conveys the whole blood from the blood source to the centrifuge; the centrifuge separates the whole blood in the centrifuge into plasma, a buffy coat, and red blood cells; and the pump system and the valve system cooperate to convey at least a portion of the separated plasma out of the centrifuge and to convey at least a portion of the separated red blood cells out of the centrifuge for collection, with a fluid including the buffy coat remaining in the centrifuge; 
 execute a platelet resuspension stage comprising a first phase in which the centrifuge is deactivated and the pump system and the valve system cooperate to circulate the fluid in the centrifuge through the centrifuge to form a homogenous mixture, and a second phase in which the centrifuge operates to separate the homogenous mixture into a platelet concentrate and red blood cells; and 
 execute a platelet harvest stage in which the pump system and the valve system cooperate to convey whole blood from the blood source or at least a portion of the collected red blood cells into the centrifuge to convey at least a portion of the platelet concentrate out of the centrifuge for collection. 
   
     
     
         4 . The blood processing device of  claim 3 , wherein the blood source is a whole blood container. 
     
     
         5 . The blood processing device of  claim 4 , further comprising a first pressure sensor configured to measure hydrostatic pressure of the whole blood container, wherein the controller is configured to end the collection stage based at least in part on the hydrostatic pressure of the whole blood container. 
     
     
         6 . The blood processing device of  claim 4 , further comprising a first weight scale configured to measure a weight of the whole blood container, wherein the controller is configured to end the collection stage based at least in part on the weight of the whole blood container. 
     
     
         7 . The blood processing device of  claim 3 , wherein the blood source is a living donor. 
     
     
         8 . The blood processing device of  claim 3 , further comprising an interface detector configured to determine a location of an interface between separated blood components within the centrifuge, wherein the controller is configured to end the establish separation stage when the interface detector has determined that the interface is at a target location and when the controller has determined that steady state separation has been achieved. 
     
     
         9 . The blood processing device of  claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to command the pump system and the valve system to cooperate to convey said at least a portion of the separated red blood cells through a leukoreduction filter after being conveyed from the centrifuge during at least a portion of the collection stage. 
     
     
         10 . The blood processing device of  claim 9 , further comprising a second pressure sensor configured to measure pressure of the leukoreduction filter, wherein the controller is configured to control the valve system to direct said at least a portion of the separated red blood cells from the centrifuge without first passing through the leukoreduction filter based at least in part on the pressure of the leukoreduction filter. 
     
     
         11 . The blood processing device of  claim 3 , further comprising an optical sensor configured to monitor fluid exiting the centrifuge, wherein the controller is configured to end the platelet harvest stage when the optical sensor detects a non-platelet concentrate fluid exiting the centrifuge. 
     
     
         12 . The blood processing device of  claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to command the pump system and the valve system during the platelet harvest stage to cooperate to convey whole blood from the blood source into the centrifuge and to command the centrifuge during the platelet harvest stage to separate the whole blood into platelet-rich plasma and red blood cells so as to cause the platelet-rich plasma to force said at least a portion of the platelet concentrate from the centrifuge for collection. 
     
     
         13 . The blood processing device of  claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to command the pump system and the valve system during the platelet harvest stage to cooperate to convey said at least a portion of the collected red blood cells into the centrifuge to force said at least a portion of the platelet concentrate from the centrifuge for collection. 
     
     
         14 . The blood processing device of  claim 3 , wherein the controller is further configured to execute a blood prime stage in which the pump system conveys whole blood from the blood source to the centrifuge to convey air out of the centrifuge. 
     
     
         15 . The blood processing device of  claim 14 , wherein the controller is further configured to execute a red blood cell recovery stage in which the pump system and the valve system cooperate to convey air into the centrifuge to convey separated red blood cells out of the centrifuge for collection. 
     
     
         16 . The blood processing device of  claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to command the pump system and the valve system to cooperate to convey additive solution to combine with separated red blood cells being conveyed out of the centrifuge. 
     
     
         17 . The blood processing device of  claim 16 , wherein the controller is further configured to execute an additive solution flush stage after the platelet harvest stage in which the controller commands the pump system and the valve system to cooperate to convey additive solution to combine with the collected red blood cells until a target amount of additive solution has been added to the collected red blood cells. 
     
     
         18 . The blood processing device of  claim 3 , wherein the controller is further configured to execute an air evacuation stage after the platelet harvest stage in which the pump system and the valve system cooperate to convey air away from the collected red blood cells. 
     
     
         19 . The blood processing device of  claim 3 , further comprising a sealing system, wherein the controller is configured to control the sealing system to seal a first conduit connected to a red blood cell collection container and to seal a second conduit connected to a platelet concentrate collection container after the platelet harvest stage. 
     
     
         20 . The blood processing device of  claim 3 , wherein the centrifuge operates at a slower speed during the second phase of the platelet resuspension phase than during the collection phase. 
     
     
         21 . The blood processing device of  claim 3 , further comprising an optical sensor configured to monitor fluid exiting the centrifuge, wherein the controller is configured to end the first phase of the platelet resuspension stage when the optical sensor detects the homogeneous mixture exiting the centrifuge. 
     
     
         22 . The blood processing device of  claim 3 , further comprising an optical sensor configured to monitor fluid exiting the centrifuge, wherein the controller is configured to end the second phase of the platelet resuspension stage when the optical sensor detects platelet concentrate having a target platelet content exiting the centrifuge.